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Cisco Systems is extending its Advanced Malware Protection (AMP) software with two new appliances. It also is expanding its line of ASA firewalls with a new virtual offering and high- performance devices that support capabilities for data center and cloud deployments.

The San Jose, Calif.-based networking giant said its AMP capabilities are designed to detect custom malware and other advanced threats on endpoint devices.

The Cisco security announcements were made at the Cisco Live event today in San Francisco, where the firm is deeply integrating the threat detection capabilities it acquired through its recent Sourcefire acquisition.

The firm unveiled the new on-premises AMP Private Cloud for malware protection using analytics, analysis and threat intelligence feeds. The AMP system uses an agent to monitor file behaviors on endpoint devices. It also combines custom signatures, application blocking lists and white-listing to provide protection against advanced threats.The company also added a cloud-based sandbox to evaluate suspicious files. Incident responders, networking security pros and malware analysts now have the ability to capture and store suspicious files for further analysis and create custom detection signatures to block files, the firm said.

The company said two new AMP FirePOWER Appliances bolster network protection for firms that Cisco says may require a higher level of performance. The AMP8150 provides up to 2 Gbps of performance and the AMP7150 delivers up to 500 Mbps of performance.

Meanwhile, the company launched its new ASAv, a virtual appliance and ASA 5585-X high-performance firewall with increased scalability and easier deployment processes for data centers. The company said the ASA 5585-X is one of the fastest physical firewalls on the market, delivering up to 640 Gbps in a 16-node clustered configuration.

Cisco partners told CRN that the continued rollout of new security features and capabilities prove the company's renewed commitment to data protection and threat detection. Cisco has continued to build out its security capabilities following its $2.7 billion acquisition of Sourcefire.

Cisco's security portfolio had suffered during a lengthy period of inactivity, said partners and industry analysts. The inactivity may also have helped give attention to other networking vendors, including Palo Alto Networks, FireEye and Check Point Software Technologies to gain wins among large enterprises.